Unlike recent additions to the Los Alamos Police Department, Cpl. Miguel Maez is no stranger to law enforcement. Maez recently resigned from the Espanola Police Department to come be a police officer in the Los Alamos Police Department.

Cpl. Miguel Maez is sworn in by Magistrate Judge Pat Casados at a ceremony earlier this week.

Maez said he always wanted to be police officer.

“It was a childhood dream,” he said. “I always wanted to help people and serve the public. I followed my dream, Espanola gave me the opportunity and I took full advantage of it.”

To Maez, being on the police force truly is still and always has been about helping people, and it always will be for him.

“It’s about customer service, and I believe that makes a great asset to the citizens of Los Alamos County,” he said.

Right now, like all new recruits to the LAPD, Maez is undergoing field training right now, which basically means getting to know the layout and streets of Los Alamos.

Maez said though he liked being in Española, he felt he could further develop his career if he moved to Los Alamos Police Department, even though he briefly served as Española’s police chief as the Española Police Department was undergoing changes to its command structure.

“It was a career opportunity, my heart was already set on making a change before I became interim chief,” he said, adding he thought he could best be of use as a corporal with the Los Alamos Police Department.

“I was ready for the challenge, the change and the opportunity to work,” Maez said.